carbon fiber, as well as the classics:aluminum, UHMW, or polycarbon-ate. OnlineMetals has a niceselection of polycarbonate, in sizeslike 12” x 12” x 0.25, for around$10 (
www.onlinemetals.com).I remain true to my Kevlarhoneycomb with titanium overlay,or else a good old hunk of solid Ti.

New builders should be aimed
at the 2. 4 Ghz systems, so they can
be compatible with rules for all
future events. The Spektrum DX5e
($73) with BR6000 ($50) from
Robot MarketPlace is the preferred,
and possibly only RFL compliant,
system, and a real bargin in most
builder’s opinions.

Power Switch

Spektrum DX5e five-channel transmitter ($73) is considered part of infrastructure,
like the battery charger ($50-$100).

All three builders went with a
Dean’s connector link. No argument
from me, except I tend to use
Anderson Powerpoles for this; $2
a pair from Robot MarketPlace.

Top builders use top quality
parts. McMaster-Carr and SDP-SI
are the bomb, parts-wise (www. sdp-si.com;
www.mcmaster.com).

Today’s Beetle

Armor

A potpourri of responses
came in, of course, titanium or

Putting it all together, our
shopping list is in Table 2
(assuming high-end parts where
we gave a choice).

This totals up to $526 for the
bones of a highly competitive
beetleweight. Depending on the
builder’s abilities, the cost for
the frame, fittings, weapon,
wire, etc., will vary from free to
another $200 or so.

Choosing the “value”
options lowers the cost quite a
bit, with the Value Beetle
costing about half the Ultimate.
Check out Table 3 to see where

The Turnigy
brand Outrunner
offers a wide
range of specs
in weapon motors.